Window shutter



F. w. BOPP E'rAL July 22, 1952 WINDOW SHUTTER 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed neef e, 1948 July 22, 1952 F. w. BOPP ETAL 2,604,1B

WINDOW SHUTTER v Filed Dec. 6, 1948 v 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 .WW y

Jllly 22 1952 F. w. BOPP Erm. 2,604,161

WINDOW SHUTTER Filed Dec. 6. 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patentedv July 22, 1952 I Frederick William Bopp and Edward Otto Bopp,

Y Kansas City,`Mr o.

"Application-'December 6, 194s, serial No, 63,765

*This vinvention relates -tof improvements window shutters or blinds, andis an improvement over the shuttersshown in our co-pending applications, Serial No. 577,3591/2 filed February 1'2, v1945,- which' issued August 29, l1950 as Patent i N0.` 2,520,272; Serial No.y 741,150, 'filed April 14, 1947, which issued August 29, 1950 :as VPatent No. 2,520,273; Serial No. 18,186,vled March 31, 1948, which'v issued October 3, 1950 as Patentv No. 2,524,372; and vSerial No. 54,219, filed October 13, 1948.7 f

The principal object of the presen-t invention is the provision, in a window shutter havingA a plurality'rof parallel, V-veri'jically disposed 'flexible slats,l of improved and 'simpliiiedfmeans whereby sai-d. slats may be rotated aboutftheir respective longitudinal axes-to control lthe passage o'f'llight and air therebetween. 1

V"-Anotherobject of the present invention is the provision of` awindow shutter comprising -supporti-'members carriedadjacent the upper and loweredges of a window, like'fseries Iof vertically disposed`4 shafts carried byfeach vof saidrsupport members, vertically disposed'flexible slats 'each connected at .its opposite ends to corresponding shafts of said series of shafts, a pinion carried by each of said shafts, and a rack connecting said pinions associatedwith each series of 'shafts whereby said slats may be oscillated each about its longitudinal axis, said racks being retained in operative position by its disposition between said pinions and theassociated support member. --A further object is the provision, in a shutter of the character described, of means whereby any one-ofsaid pinions may -beselectively disengaged from itsdriving'rack. whereby the slat associated therewithmay be adjustedindividually.

"Other objects are simplicity and economy of construction, ease. of assembly, and adaptability for use wherever a'shu'tter for controllingf light 'and air needed. y

With these objects in view,.as welllas `other objects which will appear .in t-hev course'of the specification, reference will be had to the drawing, wherein: l n

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of a window shutter embodying the present invention, mountl ed on Ithe inside of a window frame.

v,.'Eig.2 is a sectional'view taken on line. II-f-II claims; (ci. 16o-i765' Figgl is an enlarged and iores'hortenedyplan view ofthe shutter. y l

Y Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken on line VI-VI of Fig. 5, with parts broken away.

Fig.l 7 is an enlarged fragmentary sectiontaken on line VII- VII of Fig. V5, with parts left inele#- vation and broken away.r y

Fig.v 8 is a fragmentary section taken online VIII-#VIII of Fig. 6.y

Fig'. 9' is a fragmentary -section taken 1X--Ixof Fig; 7. v

Fig 10 is an enlargecl'section taken'on line X-Xofiugi.` fy Fig-1.1 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken on line X-I-XI oi Fig. 5. A

Fig l2is= a view similar" to Figa 6, showingla modified form of rack'construction. f Y Fig. lriisfa Vplan k'view of the partsi-shownjin Figlia. f. 1 Fig; 14 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line XIV-#XIV of Fig-13. f y

f. Like reference numerals-apply tov'similar 'parts throughout `the several views, and the `numeral 2 applies to a window -rameof thefusua'l type. A pair of'mounting brackets vli are mounted re: spectivelyrat opposite Vsides of saidwindowvfr'ame on the inner face thereofr adjacent the upper and lowerends of the window. Each 'of said brackets .comprises a vertically disposed sheet of metal projecting outwardly from said window frame and having a flange lil at itsrearward edge adapted to bel secured to said window frame fby screws 8. A front or cover panel I0 extends beltweentheouter` ends of said upperfand lower pairs of brackets, `and are removably attached l to saidbrackets by means of corner -fixtures I2.

Said .corner fixtures each comprise a sheet of metal having a portion I4 disposed adjacent the outer surface of the associatedmountingfbracket, e

the upper and lower edge portions of portion-"14 beingrebent inwardly to `form channels 16 adapt'- ed to slidably engage `the upper and lower-edge portions of bracket ILand a portion 'i8 disposed adjacent the outer surface of front panel i0 and having its upper and lower edge portions :rebent inwardly to form channels 20 for engaging the upper and lower edge portions of .front panel I0. Thus said front panels may. be removed simply by slidably disengaging corner fixtures l2 from mounting brackets 4. An inwardly opening, horizontally disposed channel 22 is welded or otherwise securely fixed to the inner surface of each bracket 4.

Referring principally to the structure at "the top edge of the window, as showny in Figs. 4 to19,

it will be seen that a horizontally disposed support channel 24 extends between mounting brackets 4, the end portions thereof being slidably disposed in channels 22 and removably securedV therein by bolts 26. Said channel opens upwardly, and comprises base portion 28 and side walls 30 and 32. A vseries of vertically disposed horizontally spaced apart shafts 34 are carried for rotationalV and longitudinal movement b-y base portion'28 of channel 24. All of said shafts are identical, and may be economically stamped from sheet metal or the like. Fig. 6, each shaft comprises an axial portion 3 6, and a transversely disposed horizontal hook portion 38 positioned beneath channel '24 toerLwagel As best shown in l5.VY

fralityof flexible vertical slats or strips 66 are disthe slats as hereinafter described. Axial portion i 36 of each shaft is rectangular in cross section, and passes rotatably through a round hole 40 screws, bolts, or other fasteners. This represents a substantial simplification and economical saving over structures wherein the rack must be attached to the supporting structure by independent means, wherein said fastening means must be of considerable accuracy in order to insure proper meshing of the rack and the pinions. In the present structure the only fasteners required 1j: for. asser'nblingsliieiftsI 342.",s'prings 56, pinions 44 and rack 62"t channel 24 are pins 58 inserted through the end portions of said shafts.

' As shown in Figs. 3 and 4, support channel 24 and the-structure carried thereby at the bottom of the' window is identical with that at the top of the window,-except'that it is inverted. A pluposedin parallelrelation between the upper and lower series of' 'shafts 34.

i made .of vfabric or other suitable flexible maformed therefor in channel base portionA 28.

Axial portion 36 of the shait is reduced in width adjacent thejlower surface of channel base 28, thereby forming shoulders 42- adapted to engage said channel base to limit the upward movement o fatheshaft.- v

A .pinion 44 is carriedv slidably on the upwardly extended end portion of each shaft 34. All of said pinions except oneis `provided with a centrai rectangular hole 46 through which said shaft extends, thereby preventing rotation of ,said pin.- ion on said shaft. One ofsaid pinions, further designated by the numeral 48, and disposedat the right` end of. the shutter as viewed in Fig. 5, is provided with an enlarged, substantially square, central hole*50, as shown in Figs. 7 and 9. A polygonal tube52 is disposed beneath support .channel 2 4, being yadjacent andA parallel to the shaft 34 associated ywith. pinion ,48, and said tube is providedwith an upwardly. Aprojecting non-circular extension 54 which, togetherwith the ,associated shaftv 34, p rojects upwardly throughv support channel' base 28 and. through square `hole 56 of pinion 48, the shape ofjsaid hole beingsuch .as to prevent relative rotation ofextension54 and shaft 32, and to preventlro.- tation ofpinion .4,8 thereon. YA helical compression' spring 561s `disposed about `the upwardly extended end portion of each shaft 34, bearing at its lower end against pinion 44 and at its upper end against -a .pin 58V inserted transverselyv through said shaft adjacent 'its upper end.l Spring'y 56 associated withv pinionv 48 also encircles tube .extension 54, and pin 58 passes through saidextension as shown in Fig. '7, therebly-securing,r said c tube member in position. SpringsV 56serve to urge shafts. 34 upwardly, and to retain pinions 44 against base 28 of channel 24 regardless of the' longitudinal positioning of said.,shafts.i .f c u It will-be noted,:as in Fig- 4, that pinions l44 are. disposed entirely within support channels 2.4,.and that the outer ends of the teeth of said pinions vpass in close proximity .toside wall 30 of said ,channels Thetoothed portion of each of said pinions is held .in spacedrelation above base portion 28 of channel 24 by hub .60, as shown in Fig. 6. As shown in Figs. 6, 8 and 9, a planar rackA 62 lies vslidably 'against the-"inner surface of side wall 3E! of channel 24, and .meshes with each of pinions 44 associatedwith 'said channel. Saidrack comprises an'elongated sheet voflmetal havinga plurality of slots 64.formed therein for receiving the teeth of pinions 44. vSince said slots are closed at both ends, the engagement of said pinion teeth therein servesto retain the rack securely in place within vchannelq24 without Said strips may be terial, and each slat is looped at each end as at 68 to'engagethe transversehook portion 38 of shafts34 at the .top andbottom of the window, Said slatsare so positionedA that their longitudinal edge portions overlap when the slats are moved to substantially coplanar relation, as shown in Fig-1 andin solid lines in Fig. 2, thereby completely closing the window opening.v The. lSlats areof such Alength that springs 56 areislightly compressed, said springs thereby maintaining said slatstaut. "Said springs will also taker up slight variations in the length of the slats caused by-inaccuracies of manufacture. Y v

Slatsi may be turned abouttheir respective longitudinal laxesbyineansof a Vertical rod 1|) having lits end portions carried Vslidably in. tubes 52 attthe top and bottom Qfthe window -S a id rod is polygonal in cross section, andsaid tubes are correspondingly shaped a s. shownin- Fig. ;10, whereby rotationof said rod in saidtubesjisprevented- Said rod is supported by a, collarql-Z, clampedthereon pysetscrew;`l4l and adapted to restl .on the upperzendiof. lowertube, 5 2.. .;,Ro.d .10 may be manually oscillatedby a handle 'lpivoted theretoat 18. Sai dhandle may be; p ivotedto .lie aganstsaid rod when not in use, as shownA in solidlines inFig. 1.0.1' extended as shown in dotted lines vwhenever it is desired lto adjust the shutter.

Thus'when rodf'l is turned, pinions asso.` ciated therewith will be turned, and these pinionswill,... drive racks r,62 to turn ythe remainder, of pinions 44 andshafts 34.` Slats66 ,carried by said s haftsmay thereby be continuously adjusted from a closed, substantially coplanar position, as shownin'Figs. l and v2,;to a-full openposition asshown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, wherein the slatsare substantially 4nrinii to the piane ofy the window. The slats maybe''scillated through 'substantialllI ISOQdeereS. .j f v.

'By lifting rod'l free fromthe lower'tube 52; the upper or lower ends ofthe slats maybe turned independently of the opposite ends, therebytwiste slight shortening' of the slats caused by said twist-1 .ing isv compensated by springs 56, which permit inward movement of shafts 34.

vIn--the modified form shown in Figs.: 12 tolli, a

rack 86 is used in place of rack 62 of the preferredv form.. Said modified rack comprises a vflange V32 which is disposed -slidably against .baseportion 28 of channel 24, and a plurality of upwardly extending teeth 84 which are disposed against side wall 30 of channel 24. Flange 82 is disposed between the edge portions of pinions 44 and channel base 28, said pinions being provided with hubs 86 which elevate the toothed portions of said pinions -above channel base 28 sufficiently to permit free sliding movement of flange 82. Teeth 84 engage the teeth of pinions 44. The structure of the modified form is otherwise the same as the preferred form. Thus, as in the preferred form, rack 80 is maintained in position in channel 24 by pinions 44. However, the modified form has lthe advantage that should it be desired to adjust a single slat to bring it into desired relation with the other slats, pinion 44 associated with that slat may be lifted against the pressure of spring 56 sufficiently to clear the teeth 84 of rack 80. Said pinion may then be turned as far as desired and allowed to return to engagement with rack 80. The modified form is also more easily assembled.

While a specific embodiment of our invention has been disclosed, it is apparent that many minor changes of construction and operation could be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What we claim is:

1. A support and operating structure for a window shutter or the like including a plurality of parallel slats, said support and operating structure comprising an upwardly opening elongated horizontal channel adapted to be secured to a window frame at the upper edge thereof, a series of geared pinions carried by said channel for rotation on vertical axes and disposed within said channel in a straight line, the teeth of said pinion extending in close proximity to one of the side walls of said channel, each of said pinions being adapted to be connected to one end of one of said slats, and an elongated rack disposed slidably against the inner surface of said channel side pinions, said pinions engaging said rack so as to retain said rack in said channel.

2. A support and operating structure for a window shutter or the like including a plurality of parallel slats, said support and operating structure comprising an upwardly opening elongated horizontal channel adapted to be secured to a window frame at the upper edge thereof, a series of geared pinions carried by said channel for rotation on vertical axis and disposed within said channel in a straight line, the teeth of said pinion extending in close proximity to one of the side walls of said channel, each of said pinions being adapted to be connected to one end of one of said slats, and an elongated planar rack disposed slidably against the inner surface of said channel side wall and meshing with each of said pinions, said rack having a thickness greater than the spacing between said pinion teeth and said channel side wall and having a continuous series of transverse, closed-end slots formed therein for receiving said pinion teeth.

3. A support and operating structure for a window shutter or the like including a plurality of parallel slats, said support and operating structure comprising an upwardly opening elongated horizontal channel adapted to be secured to a window frame at the upper edge thereof, a'serles of geared pinions carried by said channel forrotation on vertical axes and disposed within said channel ina straight line, the teeth of said pinion extending in close proximity to one of the side walls of said channel, each of said pinions being adapted to be connected to one end of one of said slats, and having its peripherical edge portion disposed in spaced relation above the web of said channel, and an elongated rack disposed slidably against said channel side wall and meshlng with each of said pinions, said rack being provided with a longitudinal flange extending between said channel web and the edge portions of said pinions, whereby said rack is retained in -said channel.

FREDERICK WILLIAM BOPP. EDWARD o'rro BOPP.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

